Google explores texting from your browser

The code for the latest version of Android Messages, the Google app for SMS shows that users might be able to send messages through their computers soon.

The Mountain View-based company is developing a web interface that will pair with your phone's Android Messages app for sending texts. Setting up should be the same with Allo: go to a website, pair the phone, and scan a QR code.

"Once that's done, you'll be able to send and receive messages in the web interface and it will link with the phone to do the actual SMS/MMS/RCS (?) communication through your carrier".

It appears that search engine and advertising giant Google is about to make drastic changes for one of its many messaging apps, Android Messages. However, it seems that the company is getting ready to organize all the service appropriately as they have plans to compete with i-Message.

For a year and a half now, Google's semi-official strategy for messaging apps has been a three-legged stool: Allo for consumer chat, Hangouts for corporate chat, and good ol' SMS for texting (with RCS in the future). You'll also be able to disconnect these easily from a list of connected devices. It might support all the existing browsers like Chrome, FireFox and Safari etc.

One of the trends we're seeing these days is how messenger apps on our mobile devices also have a desktop counterpart. This is as close of a mention to Rich Communication Services (RCS) as we have seen with Messages. Text over Wi-Fi and data, ' which is a description of RCS. All of these features are not officially available but you could choose to install the APK version and test out the features for yourself before the formal rollout is initiated.

Or, Google may be creating a messaging app that can do the same as iMessage and WhatsApp and essentially replace SMS.

According to Android Police that unearths and scrutinizes code for Android's application packages (apk), Google may be taking Apple's iMessage route with Android Messages.

RCS will bring additional features, such as high res images, typing indicators, stickers, emojis and read receipts, to standard text messages. Google already added the ability to send money to other private individuals in an update last fall.